How to Keep Your House Cool This Summer

Wed 08 Jul 2015

There has been quite the heat wave in Britain over the last couple of weeks, and it’s not even the middle of July yet. As summer goes on, we are quite likely to see more warm weather taking over and making us feel sticky and uncomfortable as we try to sleep each night.

The majority of houses in this country don’t have air conditioning built in, so when the temperatures outside rise, it can be hard to keep your home feeling cool and comfortable.

Here are a few different ways to keep you and your home feeling cool during the warm, summer months:

Draw Your Curtains

This seems like a really simple tip, but actually most people draw their curtains in the morning, and then leave them open all day when they go to work. Around 30% of unwanted heat comes from your windows, so keeping your curtains closed will help keep the sun from warming up your room too much.

If you have windows that face south and west, the sun can effectively turn your home into a miniature greenhouse and mean you get back from work and are greeted by a hot and stuffy house. Try and keep your curtains shut when you’re not in the house, and pay attention to which side of your house the sun is heating up.

Swap Your Bedding

Many people use the same duvet and bedding throughout the year and pay no attention to the changing of the seasons. Some duvets are seasonal and allow you to add and remove sections depending on the weather, or you can just buy a second, thinner duvet for the summer months,

Use different materials for different temperatures too – flannel and fleece are great for keeping you warm, but materials like cotton are much better at keeping you feeling cool. Buckwheat pillows are also relatively unknown in this country, but they don’t hold onto your body heat like conventional pillows, so will help to keep the temperature down when you’re in bed.

Open the Windows

The easiest way to cool your house down is by opening some of the windows. When you get home, open the windows in any rooms you want to sit in during the evening and if you have patio doors open them for a bit too.

The most refreshing air will come during the night; so open your bedroom windows before you go to bed and let the fresh air cool down the room. Make sure you don’t leave any windows open when you leave the house though, as it is important to keep your home secure at all times.

Cook Outside

Using your oven and hobs will only contribute towards making your house even hotter. If you are already sweltering, then the last thing you want it to be slaving away over a hot stove when making dinner.

Make the most of your garden by having a BBQ – most meat and veg style meals can be grilled, just choose the rights cuts of meat and make vegetable kebabs. Having a BBQ is a great excuse to invite friends over too, and who doesn’t want to make the most out of their garden furniture.